Island



(No Model.)

G. E. BEGKET.

LETTER BOX.

Patented Oct 4,1892.

NVEN-rn.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE EIBECKET, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,525, dated October4, 1892.

Application filed January 6, 1892. Serial No. 417,197. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BEcKET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLetter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to letter-boxes, but more especially such as areadapted to be conveniently attached to residences for the reception ofprivate mail-matter; and it consists, essentially, of a frame portionand a self-closing box or receptacle pivoted thereto provided with ahinged bottom, all as will bev more fully hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a letter-box adapted in use tofacilitate the delivery of mail-matter, the device being comparativelyinexpensive and forming a safe holder for letters, dac. My improvedletterbox possesses the qualities just referred to. It is, moreover, soconstructed and arranged that when mounted in, say, the front door of ahouse the front or outside of the axiallymovable box may be utilized fora door-plate. The box portion is counterweighted or so pivoted that itautomatically returns to its normal position immediately after thecarrier has opened it to deposit or receive letters, dac. The device isprovided with a hinged bottom, catches being used to secure the box in afixed position when desired. By means of this device, when mounted asbefore stated, a person in the front hall can readily ascertain at aglance whether letters have been left there by the carrier on making hisrounds. In order to prevent an accumulation of mailmatter in the box atany time, the bottom of the latter may be left open, in which case theletters, zc., pass through the box and fall directly to the Hoor afterbeing introduced by the carrier.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure l is a front elevation inreduced scale, showing a door provided with my improved letter-box. Fig.2 is a side elevation, enlarged, viewed from the rear. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on line w o: of Fig. 2, showing the boxopen to receive letters, &c. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view, thebox' being closed and inits normal position. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewsimilarto Fig. 3, the bottom of the box being open. Fig. 6 is a partialtransverse sectional view, still further enlarged, showinga manner oflocking the bottorn in position. Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing asimilar device for locking the box from the inside to prevent its beingopened, and Fig. Sis atransverse sectional View taken on line 0c of Fig.7.

In the accompanying drawings, a indicates my improved letter-boxcomplete, the same consisting of the frame portion f and the box orreceptacle portion b, pivoted thereto. The frame f is, as drawn,substantially rectangular in form and is adapted to` be let into acorrespondingly-shaped opening cut through the front door d, screws s,passing through the frame-iiange f3, serving to secure it 111 placeagainst the rear side of the door. The Width of the frame transverselyis substantially equal to the thickness of the door, all as clearlyshown.

The box proper or receptacle b is made to freely receive letters Z, andis adapted to v1- brate in the frame f by means of pivot-pins p, passingthrough the front lower portions of the two ends. The front and rearsides b2 b of the box are integral with the ends. The rear side alsoserves as a stop in limiting the forward movement of the box. (See Figs.3 and 5.) The back of the front side Z22 when the box is in its normalposition bears against the circumscribing edge of the frame f, as inFig. 4, thus limiting the rearward movement of the box. The front may,ifdesired, be further utilized to serve the purpose of a door-plate. (SeeFig. l.) A slight projection 'L' is provided at the top of the side b2to facilitate opening the box. The bottom c of the box is hinged at ctothe back b. The frame is beveled off or depressed at f to permit the boxto vibrate freely, thus allowing the latter to stand at an angle. Theupper and lower edges of the front b2 arerabbeted,therebyformingcorrespondingseats m m. Into the upper one isfitted a sliding (see Eig. 4..) y

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dovetail bolt lo, arranged to enter a hole lc, formed in the frame, asclearly indicate-d in Fig. 7. When in this position, it is obvious thatthe box cannot be opened from the outside. In like manner the bottoni cmay be looked to the lower portion m of the box, a shown in Fig. 6. Y n

As before stated, the device not only forms a very convenient houseletter-box, but it also enables the carrier to dispose of mail-pieceswith greater dispatch. YWhen pieces to be delivered are toc large toenter the box, they may be laid across it outside, as shown by dottedlines L2, Fig. 8,*although if the bottom c be unlocked from the framesuch large Ypiecesrmay be passed VVdirectly through the box (seearrow-direction, Fig. 5) and fall directly to the Hoor. The boxautomatically returns to its normal position upon being re-Y leasedbythe letter-carrier, and, if desired, a

spring may be employed for thus returning or tilting the box in lieu ofa counter-weight. Obviously the Vbottom Yc may be integral with the boxb, although practically I prefer to make it movabie for reasons beforestated.

The device can, if desired, be secured tothe door-frameorjothernsuitable place conveniently accessible to the letter-carrier.

I claim as my invention-Q Y 1. The house-door letter-box hereinbeforedescribed, consisting of the frame portion adapted YVto be permanentlysecured Yto the door, having an' openingy or mouth formed thereinincreasing in width ina vertical direction from the front, and the boxor receptacle b, pivoted to the frame and arranged to be tilted backandl forth in said opening and liaving'the front b2 of the box arrangedto practically conceal the frame-"opening 2. The house-door letter-boxsubstantially as hereinbefore described, the same consisting of theframe portionf, adapted to be permanently secured to the door, havingits in- :ner opening wider vertically than the front or outer opening,andY the self-closing box b,

pivoted to and arranged to be vibrated or

